Kidneys were the most common organ that transplant patients were waiting for in Spain in 2021. Approximately 6.9 thousand patients were on the organ transplant waiting list for a kidney, followed by far by patients that were on the list for a liver, who amounted to over 1.6 thousand. In 2021, the latest figures reveal that 45 patients died while they were waiting for their liver transplant in the European country.
Kidneys are the most common transplanted organ in Spain
Kidney transplantation was the most common organ transplant in Spain in 2021, with approximately three thousand procedures. Doctors also performed a total of approximately 1.1 thousand liver transplants, 302 heart transplants, 362 lung transplants, 82 pancreas transplants and seven intestinal transplants. Organ donation can be given through both a deceased and living donor if blood and oxygen are flowing through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability.
Spain: leader in organ donation
In 2021, Spain had the highest rate of deceased donors in Europe. The rate of organ donation, including donation after brain death (DBD) and after cardiac death (DCD), was 40.8 per million population. Portugal and Croatia followed, with 29.6 and 29.5 donors per million population, respectively. Romania and Bulgaria, on the other hand, were the European countries with the lowest rate of deceased organ donors that year.
Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ*
Characteristic
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Kidney
7,211
7,246
7,356
6,564
6,895
Liver
1,985
1,829
1,798
1,628
1,641
Lung
694
671
462
615
627
Heart
493
475
730
486
495
Pancreas
190
210
211
205
181
Small bowel
6
16
20
19
16
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of patients20172018201920202021KidneyLiverLungHeartPancreasSmall bowel
02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000
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EDQM, & ONT. (September 29, 2022). Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/
EDQM, und ONT. "Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ*." Chart. September 29, 2022. Statista. Accessed February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/
EDQM, ONT. (2022). Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/
EDQM, and ONT. "Total Number of Patients on The Organ Transplant Waiting List in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by Organ*." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Sep 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/
EDQM & ONT, Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/ (last visited February 23, 2025)
Total number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list in Spain from 2017 to 2021, by organ* [Graph], EDQM, & ONT, September 29, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/538386/number-of-patients-active-on-organ-transplant-waiting-list-in-spain/
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